BAMBOO

What kind of bamboo, how large is it across? Bamboo is a large family of grasses (what bamboo means in chinese). Some get very large across like black bamboo and can be used for stakes. Others never amount to anything. Generally you cut it at a size you can use when there is still enough time before winter sets in that it will dry well for the followng year's use.

My thoughts exactly, garden5. When I go on a bamboo hunt, I search the neighborhoods for the tallest I can find and use a machete to make quick work of them when I need stakes. Once hefty slice and TIMBERRRR! There are 20' tall pieces all around my neighborhood in peoples yards and they let me cut a few here and there. 20' stalks make nice 10' stakes when cut in half.